Read a Little Deeper
How do you read your Bible? Do you pick up a physical copy of the Word? Is it via a Bible app? Are you listening to the audio version, without commentary?
Did you know that there are people with strong opinions about reading? It’s not enough to consider it a majority or to call anyone out by name, but there was some pretty major internet discourse (on Goodreads) about if audio books counted. This journeyed over to Reddit and then made the rounds in the memes. Others I know have opinions about books in print as opposed to digital versions. Personally, as someone who reads best from a physical copy of a book in my hands so I can write my thoughts in the margins or highlight something, I struggle with audiobooks. For others, it’s the exact opposite. The words on the page just do not connect with their brain in the same way that hearing the words does. This article is not about the method of reading that you choose. It is about Scripture interpretation and how we dig a little deeper.
First and foremost is Scripture. In the UMC we don’t just talk about the primacy of Scripture, it truly is the foundation of how we go about framing our theology, leading our churches, and structuring our lives. Interestingly enough, we also do not have a set version of Scripture that everyone must use. Certain ones get popular and suddenly they are everywhere. As someone who grew up with the New International Version (NIV) and now prefers the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE), I can honestly say that although there are differences between versions of Scripture, most of our modern English translations to do not have startling differences between them. Translation is an art more than a science, so long as the editors and translators haven’t taken liberties, the version of Scripture should offer you the same guiding truth, principles of our faith, and testament to God’s enduring and steadfast love.
However, as United Methodists, we also do not think that Scripture stands alone. Albert Outler gave us the idea of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. It pulled from various writings of Wesley to understand that although Scripture is first, it does not exist in a vacuum. How could it? God is not limited to the Words on the page, our human experience is more vast and broad than what was written millennia ago, and at a certain point Scripture was no longer being written. Scripture was written before the internet and the incarnate Christ had never seen a video clip on Vine, even if he had vines and vineyards in his parables. Or, if you prefer, Scripture talks about music, but does not mention CDs, mp3 players, or the iPod.
When I was taught the Quadrilateral, it was drawn as a parallelogram, with all things being equal. Scripture, tradition, experience, and reason. Others have attempted to illustrate it in different ways, including as concentric circles. The illustration that made the most sense to me was a pyramid. Scripture is the base, with the other three making the edges of the pyramid, with ourselves as the tiny little pinpoint of the top. This creates the lens through which we view and understand the divine, the world, and ourselves. When we read Scripture, we bring our worries, understandings, experiences, and expectations to the reading. These lenses through which we view things can result in some very different interpretations, even within our own lifetimes.
But let us also not be limited to our own understanding of Scripture. Do you read theologians? Is the only voice you hear on Scripture your own pastor? Do you participate in a small group or Bible study so that you can hear from other believers about their knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of who God is, who we are, and who God is calling us to be? When it comes to Scripture, we should be digging deeper than the words on the page.
And yet, how do we also find things that will challenge our theology but not overturn it? I do not know if there is a singular answer to that. I have often read things with which I vehemently disagree, especially during seminary. We read Martin Luther who believed in predestination, a theological concept that I find has merit, but does not mesh with how I understand God’s grace to work, but who also did not believe in double predestination. I disagree with Thomas Aquinas on a few things, but hesitate to recommend reading Aquinas because you have to have a how to guide on how to read it. If you’re up for the challenge, you might try understanding his understanding of the Trinity. I learned the trick with how to read and pronounce Barth. The more theology I read, the more nuanced my understanding of Scripture became. As someone who is called to be clergy, this is my work to undertake with the serious academic writings.
Does that mean that other people shouldn’t read up on theology? No. However, it is not going to be a passion or interest for most people, even if they do spend time in the Word. True crime and sports probably rank higher than reading a book on theology. This is not meant to be a condemnation of these hobbies- God made this world to be full of creativity and new ideas. This is instead an invitation to consider how you might dig a little deeper. We know that Scripture is meant to be a lens through which we view the whole world, not just church and church life, we may find that God has something for us to ponder in our hobbies and interests. If you are someone who likes sports (and no, I will not be praying for your team to win the NCAA March Madness tournament), you may find that you understand Paul’s sports metaphors through a modern lens with a modern sport. Foot races are still a thing, I know a cross-country runner or two, but how do you think Paul might have talked about baseball, lacrosse, or rugby? If true crime is more your jam, how do you talk about God’s grace, redemption, forgiveness, or mercy when you hear about an unsolved case? Is there justice there?
However you read Scripture, I hope you will also consider the questions, doubts, realities, and theology that goes along with it. May God make your reading, listening, or otherwise interacting with Scripture fruitful.
